Vogue World concluded its Milan edition this week with a surprising spectacle: a troupe of humanoid robots from Chinese manufacturer Unitree strutting down the runway. The performance, titled “The Age of Intelligence,” unfolded to Gigi D’Agostino’s hit “L’Amour Toujours,” with the machines waving their arms, attempting a lasso, and inviting the audience to clap. Notably, the robots appeared without any clothing, a stark contrast to the event’s advertised focus on Italian craftsmanship and “the human touch.”

Source: techcrunch.com

The juxtaposition of sleek machines against a celebration of traditional artistry did not go unnoticed. Images and videos quickly spread across social media, capturing the visible discomfort of industry figures such as Alessandro Michele, creative director of Valentino, whose strained expression became a viral meme. Tweets from users like @SaschaAmato and @pradachurch highlighted the absurdity, while others described feeling an existential crisis watching the awkward dance.

Vogue World, now in its fifth year, travels globally as a hybrid runway show, celebrity showcase, variety act, and advertising platform. Previous editions have taken place in New York, London, Paris, and Hollywood. The Milan installment was marketed as a tribute to Italian artisanship, making the robot-heavy finale feel especially incongruent to many observers.

The controversy extended beyond aesthetics. Critics pointed out that the same Unitree robots have previously gained attention for their dance routines and occasional malfunctions, including falls and breakdowns. Similar machines had already appeared at London Fashion Week, suggesting a growing trend of integrating robotics into high‑fashion presentations.

Vogue’s upcoming San Francisco edition, announced earlier this year, adds another layer to the debate. The choice of a city known more for technology than haute couture has been interpreted as a deliberate alignment with Silicon Valley elites. Sponsorship disclosures revealed Meta Glasses and OpenAI as backers of the Milan show, reinforcing perceptions that Vogue is courting tech titans amid a broader cultural conversation about AI, labor displacement, and energy consumption.

Industry insiders offered varied perspectives. Jason Johnson of Culture Impact Agency noted that Vogue’s pursuit of tech partnerships dates back at least a decade, citing Jony Ive’s co‑hosting of the 2015 Met Gala as an early example. Muna Ikedionwu of MKEDI argued that the robot performance barely scratches the surface of genuine innovation occurring at the fashion‑tech intersection, pointing to projects like AA Murakami’s bubble dress for Olympian Eileen Gu and experimental uses of vintage tech in garments such as the Spring 2024 Schiaparelli collection featuring Swarovski‑crystal robot babies and PC microchip fabrics.

Ultimately, the Milan robot runway has become a flashpoint for larger questions about the direction of fashion journalism, the influence of corporate sponsorship, and whether such spectacles genuinely bridge the gap between technology and style—or merely serve as a glossy distraction from deeper societal concerns.